Calculating-machine.



No. 735,291. PATENTED AUG. 4, 1903.

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C. I. PIDGIN. CALCULATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22, 1899.

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MAT 5555 UNITED STATES Patented August 4, 1906 3.

CHARLES F. PIDGIN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

CALCULATING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 735,291, dated August4, 1903.

Application filed June 22,1899.

To all whom, it 17mg concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES F. PIDGIN, of Boston, in the county ofSufiolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Calculating-Machines, of which the following is aspecifica tion.

This invention has for its object to provide a machine by means of whichmathematical calculations may be made accurately and rap idly without acorresponding exercise of the reasoning faculties beyond that necessaryto transfer by mechanical manipulations of the several keys the figureswhich are being added, multiplied, or otherwise computed, and while itis my design to provide a machine which may be used for computations byoffi-. cials in banking and other institutions, yet it is moreespecially my object to render it particularly applicable in adding andrecapitnlating statistical items in census and other similar work.

To these ends the invention consists of a machine having certainfeatures of construction and relative arrangement of parts, all as Ihave illustrated upon the drawings, shall now proceed to describe indetail in thefollowing specification, and particularize in the appendedclaims.

Referring to the said drawings, on which similar reference charactersindicate similar parts or features, as the case may be, wherever theyoccur, Figure 1 represents in plan view a machine embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 represents an end elevation of the same. Fig. 3represents a plan view with the plate which covers the numeral-bearingdisks removed. Fig. a represents an elevation of the other end of themachine. Fig. 5 represents a view of the machine with the casing invertical position, so as to expose the electrical adding mechanism. Fig.6 represents a portion of the same with the parts in a differentposition. Fig. 7 represents a transverse section on the line 7 7 of Fig.5. Fig. 8 represents a similar section on the line 8 8 of Fig. 5. Fig. 9represents a transverse section on the line 9 9 of Fig. 3.

In my invention I employ a registering or 56 indicating device for eachnumerical value Serial No. 721,483. (No model.)

from the unit-point and mechanism for indi cating a value upon itsproper device-that is to say, the units will be registered or indicatedby one mechanism, the tens by another and separate one, the hundredsupon a third, and so onand I further employ electrical devices wherebywhen the sum of the num bers of any standard of value exceeds themaximum of that standard the excess will be carried to the next higherorder of value.

Referring to the drawings, which illustrate one embodiment of theinvention, I have 7 shown a casing which includes the base a,

the end walls b 6 the rear wall I), and front wall 6 together with a topwhich consists of several parts- The top or table of the casing isinclined, as shown in Fig. 2, the lower half of the table being formedof a plate 0 and the upper portion consisting of a thin flat plate a,secured tothe plate 0 by small strips of metal 0 as shown in Figs. 5 and7. Above the plate 0 at the rear portion of the casing is a strip 11 ofwood, and between the latter and a flange 0 formed along the rear edgeof the plate 0, is placed a metallic strip 0 These parts, as described,support and cover all of the various operative parts of the machine. Thetrains of registering or indicating mechanism are placed side by sideunder the rear portion of the table, and they are governed by keys,which may he slid over the front portion of the same. Except for theelectrical carrying devices the mechanisms are all independent, and theymay be operated in any desired order without aifecting the result of.the computation. On the said plate 0 are placed a plurality of parallelguides 01 01 d each of Whichis U-shaped in cross-section with the upperedges bent inward, and in each of said guides is placed a rack-bar e.The lower ends of said rack-bars are provided with knobs or keys ff feach of which carries an index or pointer f On the upper face of theplate beside each guide is a graduated scale having beside it a columnof figures in sequence commencing with 0 and ending with 9, and thefirst column, commencing with the right-hand end, represents a certainorder of numerical value, as units, the second another or higher order,as tens,

and the third hundreds. It will be understood that although I have shownthe three columns of figures as representing three orders of values andshall describe the three sets of calculating mechanism correspondingthereto other similar trains of mechanism may be added, so that themachine will count up into the hundreds of millions.

Each of the rack-bars 6 projects through an aperture in the flange 0into a space formed between the plate 0 and the wooden strip 19 In theplate 0 is an aperture c corresponding toeach column of figures, andbelow said plate are a plurality of numeral-disks corresponding innumber to the number of columns of figures and each adapted to have oneof its figures visible through one of the apertures 0 These aperturesare protected by a strip 0 of glass and are normally closed by a hingedcover 0, which is locked by a suitable device, such as a staple 0 and.padlock 0.

The trains of indicating or registering mechanism are similar, so Ishall describe only one of them in detail.

The numeral-disk is indicated at e and is suitably connected with therack-bar e by a mechanism which I shall describe, whereby assuming thatthe disk is at zero position when the key is moved rearwardly to acertain number-as, forinstance, 7 and then is returned to normal or zeroposition the numeral 7 immediately appears in the aperture 0corresponding to the said key.

The numeral-disk e is secured to the end of an arbor 6 which isjournaled in the plate 0 and in a narrow support or strip g, secured tothe plate 0' by posts g 9 riveted or otherwise secured at their ends.The arbor e is provided with a shoulder 9 which bears against the underface of the plate c, and on said arbor directly below the said platethere is loosely mounted a large gear-wheel intermeshing with a'pinion eThelast-mentioned pinion is secured to a small shaft 6 which projectsupwardly from the plate 0 and is equipped on its end with a pinion cintermeshing with the rack-bar 6. Hence each time the rack-bar isreciprocated the gearwheel 6 is rotated first in one direction and thenin the other.

By examining Fig. 6 it will be seen that the gear-wheel is provided witha pawl e held in engagement with a ratchet e rigidly secured to thearbor e by a spring 6 attached to a stud e on said wheel, so that whilethe gearwheel 6 is adapted to rotate freely in the direction of thearrow in Fig. 5 without afiecting the arbor 2 when rotated in theopposite direction or in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 6 the arborwill be rotated with it. A spring-pawl 6 holds the ratchet againstreverse movement, and in order to prevent the latter and said gear-wheele from moving too far the post 9 is formed with an arm g having a finger9 (see Fig. 8,) which engages the pawl 6 When the rack-bar is returnedto zero position, it carries the gear-wheel e in the direction of thearrow in Fig. 6 until the pawl e strikes against the stop g and if theparts were allowed to remain in thisposition they would be locked, andhence said rackbar is formed with a lug 6 (see Fig. 3,) which engages aspring e secured to said flange 0 so as to carry said bar slightlyrearward after it has been returned to zero position, so as to carryback the pawl e from the tooth previously engaged by it and from thestop g as shown in Fig. 6.

As thus far described, it is plain that when either one of the knobs orkeys is carried backward to any numeral in its column of figures and isthen returned to normal or zero position the numeral-wheel correspondingthereto is rotated acorresponding number of steps-that is to say,assuming that in the units mechanism the figure 5 appears through theaperture 0 and the key f is carried to the numeral 3 and then returnedthe numeral 8 will then appear in said aperture.

Whenever the sum of the numerals in any train of mechanism appertainingto any one of the standards of value exceeds nine, (the maximum of thatstandard,) one is added or carried onto the neXt higher order ofnumerical valuethat is to say, when the units-key has been moved so thatthe summation of numbers of that standard is ten (10) or above one '(1)is added or carried over to the tens mechanism, this being accomplishedby electromagnetic devices, which I shall now proceed to describe.

Each ratchet c (with the exception of that in the units mechanism) isformed on a sleeve 12, having at its lower end a second ratchetwheel h,and between said wheels is a cam h as shown in dotted lines in Figs. 5and 6. A lever having three armsjjj and a hubj is fulcrumed underneaththe plate 0 in a bracket 0 and the arm j rests against the sleeve it, soas to be engaged by the cam h once for each rotation of the ratchet.When the cam has made a complete rotation, the three-armed lever isactuated to close the circuit through an electromagnet to impart asingle step to the ratchet of the other next higher train of mechanism.The electromagnets are one less in number than the trains of registeringor indicating mechanism, for it is evident that they are unnecessarywith the units mechanism, since that represents the lowest order orstandard of value. The magnet is indicated at k and is supported by abracket is. The armature k is secured to a lever 10 which is fulcru medat 70 in a bracket 70 secured to the plate 0. The armature is normallyheld away from the magnet when the circuit through the latter is brokenby a spring k On the free end of the lever is pivotally supported a pawlk held in operative relation to the ratchet h by a spring 76*, and henceeach time the circuit is closed through the magnet and the armature isdrawn toward its core the pawl 70 engages the ratchet h and moves thelatter a single step. The make-and-break devices or switch mechanism forthe circuit include the three-armed lever, previously referred to, and asecond lever m, which is fulcrumed at on in an insulated plate m securedto the plate a. A spring m connected to a hook m on the bracket and to ahook m on the lever m, raises the latter and holds it against the end ofthe arm 3' or against the end of a spring member j, carried by thethree-armed lever. The arm m is formed of metal which is a goodconductor of electricity, and on its end it has a strip m of insulatingmaterial. Connected to the armj of the three-armed lever is said springm'emberj, Whose end is adapted to engage the metallic portion of thelever m or else the insulator-strip m and when it ongages the metallicportion it is temporarily held against movement by a shoulder m as shownin Fig. 6. The arm j of the threearmed lever is held against aspringcontact n by the spring m before referred to. The contactnis inelectrical connection with a conductor 0, extending lengthwise of theplate a, the latter beingconnected by the wire 0 with the binding-post 0and a second bindin g-post 0 is electrically connected with a wire 0which is connected in multiple with the electromagnets, as shown in Fig.5, by wires 0 Said electromagnet is further connected by a wire 0 withthe lever m, so that when the spring member is in engagement with saidlever m the circuit is closed through the electromagnet, it beingunderstood,of course, that the binding-posts are connected with anelectrical generator of any kind.

Under normal conditions the arm j rests against the spring-contact n andthe end of the spring memberj rests against the insulation m on thelever m; but when the arm j is forced downward by the cam h just as thenumeral-bearing disk completes one rotation to bring the figure O intothe aperture 0 the armj is moved away from the spring-contact, so as tobreak the electrical connection therewith, and the spring member 7' ismoved into the position shown in Fig. 6, whereby it electricallyconnects with the lever on, and as the cam it continues to rotate theend of the armj finally drops 0% from it and the spring wa carries thearm j back into contact with the spring-contact n, the spring member 3'remaining in electrical connection with the lever It. This immediatelycloses the circuit through the electromagnet Zr and the latter actuatesthe armature k to move the ratchet k of the registering mechanismof thenext order of values a single step, whereby the numeral beariu g disk isalso rotated one step.

In order to immediately break the circuit the instant that theelectromagnet is energized, I mount an arm k on the lever k and bend itsend so that it projects, over or across the lever m, as shown in Fig. 5,and hence when the lever 70 is actuated the said arm presses the lever mand permits the spring member 7' to spring into parallelism with the armn whereby its end rests against the insulated strip on the said lever m.Now it will be seen from this explanation that each time the summationof certain values on any one train of mechanism exceeds nine the trainof mechanism corresponding with the next value is immediately actuatedto advance the numeral-bearing disk therein, so that such summation isimmediately indicated in the next train of mechanism.

I have found sometimes that it is diflicult to check the momentum of thegearing when actuated by the electromagnet, and hence I provide a stopmechanism to prevent the ratchets from being moved more than one step ata time.

The ratchet h is provided with a plurality of pins it", one for eachtooth, and pivoted on a pin h projecting from the plate g, is a dog 71having an end which may be moved into engagement with any one i of thepins, as shown in Fig. 6. A link 7t connects the said pawl with thelever k These parts are so constructed and arranged that the end of thepawl lies normally out of the path of motion of the pins h"; but whenthe lever 10 is actuated to cause the pawl 70 to engage and advance atooth upon the ratchet h the end of the dog it is immediately thrustinto the path of the next adjacent pin, as shown in Fig. 6, to stop itfrom moving beyond a single step.

In the operation of the machine, assuming that the numerals indicating 38 at appear in the apertures 0 and that it be desired to add sixty-seventhereto, the following steps are taken: The units-key is moved backwardto the numeral 7 in the column andis then returned to zero position. Asit moves for ward the rack causes the rotation of the train of gearingand the disk e and the numeral 1 appears in place of the 7. During therotation of the ratchet e just as the disk e reaches zero position thecam It operates the threearmed lever to close the circuit through themagnet, and thereby cause the pawl 70 to advance the ratchet h of thetens mechanism, whereby the disk 6 of said mechanism is turned topresent the numeral 9 instead of 8. Then the tens-key is moved back to6, and as it is being returned it causes the closing of the circuitthrough the magnet of the hundreds-train of mechanism to cause the disk6 of that mechanism to be advanced to present the numeral 4 at the thirdaperture 0 The tens-key on reaching zero position has rotated the disk 6of the tens mechanism six steps, whereby it presents the numeral 5.Hence the total 451 appears as the summation of the two sets of figures.

It is not necessary that the units-key should be operated first, aseither of the others may be manipulated first, if desired, withoutchanging the result. As a matter of fact the computer usually beginswith the left-hand key and works toward the right in the way thatfigures are usually read.

In order to prevent the manipulation of the keys by others in case thecomputor leaves the machine, I provide a lock which consists of a bar19, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 4. At its left end the bar is pivotedbetween the ears of a stud 19, which is swiveled in abearing 29 forminga part of a bracketp secured to the wall 12 and said bar may betherefore swung across the machine, as shown in Fig. 1, or else be laidin a bracket or rest p secured to the wall b as shown in dotted lines inFig. 4, where it is out of the way when the machine is in use. The rightend of the bar is formed with a hook p to enter a springlock 10 in thewall I), as shown in Fig. 2, said lock being similar to those employedin rolltop desks. The locking member may be disengaged by a key insertedin the keyhole 19". To lock the keysfff they are moved to the lower orforward ends of the guides and the bar 9 is engaged with the lock, afterwhich they cannot be moved backward, and are held at zero position.

Where the machine is employed for making a series of computations, it isdesirable that the operator should be provided with a simple tallyingdevice for noting the comple tion of each one of them, and hence on thetop of the strip or plate 5 I secure a cup q, in which is placed asimple tallying-machine capable of registering nine hundred andninety-nine. Said machine comprises a casing q, having suitablenumeral-disks with actuating mechanism theref-or, (not shown,) and anactuator g which may be pressed inward to move the units-disk one step.The cup g has apertures or slots g to receive the actuator, as shown.

Each time a computation is complete the actuator is thrust inward totally one and the registering or indicating mechanisms of the machineare returned to zero by adding to each numeral in the aperture beginningat the right 0 the difierence between it and ten.

The machine, as hereinbefore set forth, is well adapted for statisticaland computational work of all kinds. The main part of the mechanism isoperated mechanically, and in that respect it is an improvement overthose machines in which the trains of mechanism are actuatedelectromagnetically through the closing of a plurality of circuits insuccession by means of a contact on each key, since the latter iswasteful of electricity and is therefore costly, and besides that thecontacts constantly become covered withdust and dirt, and thereby failto make proper electrical-connection.

In the present machine the electrical carrying mechanism is inclosed ina tight casing, which is substantially dust-proof, whereby they retaintheir efficiency without cleaning or repair for years. The plate ortable 0 is imperforate, and the guides are placed on top of it, so thatthere is no opportunity for dust to sift through slots or openings intothe interior of the casing.

In addition to the advantages whichI have briefly enumerated it willalso be noted that the stop devices for preventing the numeral disksfrom moving more than one step at a time, the positive actuation of thetrains of registering or indicating mechanism, &c., possess many pointsof advantage.

Having thus explained the nature of the invention and described a way ofconstructing and using the same, although without attempting to setforth all of the forms in which it may be made or all of the modes ofits use, I declare thatwhat I claim is- 1. A calculating-machinecomprising a plurality of mechanical registering mechanisms fordifferent orders of value, electromagnetic devices for carrying from onemechanism to that of the next higher order, said devices each consistingin part of an automatic circuit closer, and a supplementalcircuitbreaker arranged to automatically actuate said circuit closer,whereby the circuit is broken, and independent devices arranged to havemechanical engagement with said registering mechanisms for the purposeof actuating the same.

2. A calculating-machine comprisinga plurality of mechanical registeringmechanisms for different orders of value, electromagnetic devices forcarrying from one mechanism to that for the next higher order, saiddevices each consisting in part of an automatic circuit closer, and asupplemental circuitbreaker arranged to automatically actuate saidcircuit closer, whereby the circuit is broken.

3. A calculating-machine comprising a plurality of mechanicalregistering mechanisms for different orders of value, electromagneticdevices for carrying from one mechanism to that for the next higherorder, said devices each consisting in part of a cam-actuatedcircuit=closer, and a circuitbreaker arranged to automatically actuatesaid circuit-closer, whereby the circuit is broken.

4:. Acalculating-machine comprising a plurality of mechanicalregistering mechanisms for difierent orders of value, electromagneticdevices for carrying from one mechanism to that for the next higherorder, said devices each consisting in part of an automaticcircuit-closer, an electromagnet, and a movable member controlled bysaid magnet and arranged to actuate said circuit-closer, whereby thecircuit is broken.

5. A calculating-machine comprising a plurality of registeringmechanisms for different orders of value, electromagnetic devices forcarrying from one mechanism to that for the next higher order, saiddevices each consisting in part of a switch adapted to close a circuit,an arm with which said switch is adapted to make electrical connection,an electromagnet in circuit with said arm, and a device IOC arranged toautomatically actuate said arm, whereby the circuit is broken.

6. A calculating-machine comprising aplurality of registering mechanismsfor difi'erent orders of value, electromagnetic devices for carryingfrom one mechanism to that for the next higher order, said deviceseach'consisting in part of two contacts in the same circuit, one of saidcontacts having a stop, a switch-lever having an arm for each contact,one of said arms being resilient and adapted to engage the stop, andmeans for operating said switch-lever, whereby one arm leaves itscontact until the other engages the stop, and then returns, to close thecircuit between said contacts.

7. In a registering-machine, registering mechanism including an arbor,actuating means therefor including a wheel carrying a pawl, and aratchet, a stop located in the path of said pawl, and a spring to movesaid pawl back from said stop.

8. In a registering-machine, registering mechanism including an arbor, apinion mounted on said arbor and carrying a pawl, a ratchet, a pinionmeshing with said former pinion, a stop located in the path of saidpawl, a reciprocating member arranged to actuate said second pinion, astop-lug on said reciprocating member, and a spring lying in the path ofsaid stop-lug.

9. The combination with a plurality of registering mechanisms fordifferent orders of value comprising a series of arbors, actuating meansfor each arbor including a wheel carrying a pawl, and a pair ofratchets, one of which is engaged by said pawl, of electromagneticdevices for carrying from one mechanism to that of the next higherorder, said devices each comprising an automatic circuitcloser, anelectromagnet, a pivoted armature, and an actuating-pawl mounted in theend of said armature and adapted to engage the second ratchet.

10. The combination with a plurality of registering mechanisms fordifferent orders of value comprising a series of arbors, actuating meansfor each arbor including a wheel carrying a pawl and a pair of ratchets,one of which is engaged by said pawl, of electromagnetic devices forcarrying from one mechanism to that of the next higher order, saiddevices comprising an automatic circuitcloser, an electromagnet, apivoted armature, an actuating-pawl mounted on said armature and adaptedto engage the other ratchet, and a stop-dog carried by said armature andadapted to engage said latter ratchet.

11. The combination with a plurality of registering mechanisms fordifierent orders of value comprising a series of arbors, actuating meansfor each arbor including a wheel carrying a pawl, a ratchet engaged bysaid pawl, a second ratchet having pins projecting therefrom, ofelectromagnetic devices for carrying from one mechanism to that of thenext higher order, said devices each comprising an automaticcircuit-closer, an electromagnet, an armature pivoted at its lower end,an actuating-pawl mounted in its upper end and adapted to engage saidsecond ratchet, and a stop-dog also mounted in the upper end of saidarmature and adapted to engage said pins.

In testimony whereof I have atfixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

CHARLES F. PIDGIN.

Witnesses:

MARCUS B. MAY, 0. O. STEOHER.

